


Cut Loose

by parsleylion



Category: Linkin Park
Genre: AU, Angst, Drabble, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2019-01-23 17:51:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12512904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parsleylion/pseuds/parsleylion
Summary: “Do you have dreams Mike? I have dreams,” Chester mused out loud, “I want to see the world,” he gushed before taking a long, slow drag from the joint that was perched between his thumb and forefinger.





	Cut Loose

“Do you have dreams Mike? I have dreams,” Chester mused out loud, “I want to see the  _world_ ,” he gushed before taking a long, slow drag from the joint that was perched between his thumb and forefinger.

  
  


I watched Chester for a few moments. I watched the way his eyes sleepily gazed out at the view beneath us; the rolling hills and unmistakable Hollywood palm trees that swayed in the artificial breeze. I watched him yawn and slowly take another hit from his joint. I watched him falling apart right before my eyes and just sat back and allowed my lungs to soak up the scent of marijuana.

  
  


“I guess I have dreams,” I whispered softly.

  
  


Chester turned to look at me, sleepy eyes shining momentarily with interest. We watched each other in silence for a few minutes and I leant back further in my chair as he took another drag from the joint.

  
  


“What are your dreams?” he asked softly.

  
  


“To be happy,” I murmured in reply, “None of this nine to five or five to nine work, none of this living to get high, living to see you in the evenings. I want real happiness,” I paused, “I want to smile like I mean it.”

  
  


Chester studied my face intently for a while, took another drag and let the smoke slide loosely between his lips. I followed the cloud as it drifted away from the back door of ‘Sanjay’s Grill’ where we were both peacefully residing and up into the night sky, losing itself with the fumes from vehicles and wrapping itself around the stars above. When I could no longer see the spiral of smoke I glanced back at Chester who was putting out the joint, pressing it against the stone wall and placing it back in his pocket.

  
  


“You know, I wish I could make you happy,” He sighed.

  
  


I sat up a little, “You do.”

  
  


“But not in the way you make me happy,” he frowned, “I want to make you the happiest person alive. I want you to smile like you mean it…”

  
  


I shrugged, “Maybe I didn’t quite mean that. You do make me smile. I just hate the way things are at the moment. Struggling to make ends meet, working at Sanjay’s  _Fucking_  Grill, planning our way out of a dead end life; making wishes that are never going to come true. I wish things were simpler.”

  
  


“Define simpler…”

  
  


“You, me and an open road.”

  
  


Chester suddenly got to his feet, his outstretched hand poised in my direction.

  
  


“Come on then,” he smiled.

  
  


“What?” I frowned, slowly getting to my feet and brushing the dust off of my ill fitting apron.

  
  


“Let’s do it…”

  
  


“But Chaz, it’s not that simple, you know we can’t just up and leave. We’ve been through this before…”

  
  


“Why not?”

  
  


“We’ve got bills to pay, responsibilities at this place, we don’t have the money to just  _go_ …”

  
  


“It’s not about the money,” Chester leant closer, “You’re scared aren’t you?”

  
  


“Scared?”

  
  


“Yeah. You’re scared of what’s out there, what’s beyond this fucked up place. You may hate this city and the little prospects it has to offer to young dropouts like ourselves. You may hate waiting on tables and scraping money together to make ends meet and sleeping in an apartment with no furniture, no TV and no electricity, but it’s all you know and you, you’re scared of the unknown Mike. You like to dream about it but when it comes down to it, you’re just afraid of those dreams being disillusioned.”

  
  


I leant back against the wall with a dry mouth and a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. Chester stared at me, biting his lip as he crossed his arms in a sort of act of bravado.

  
  


“I know,” I uttered, “I know I’m scared. I just, I hate this life but it feels safe at times…”

  
  


“But is that what you want Mike? Safe? Mundane? Routine?”

  
  


“No,” I shook my head with a wry smile, “Not at all.”

  
  


“Then let’s do it, let’s go,” he smiled.

  
  


“Now? We haven’t even finished our shift…”

  
  


“Live for the moment Mike?”

  
  


Chester’s hand was still outstretched and for a split second I could taste it; that feel of accomplishment - of doing something different, something new; breaking out and  _really_  living my life.

  
  


I grabbed Chester’s warm hand and that was the moment that my life changed.

  
  


Forever.

  
  
  


**END.**


End file.
